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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. foot — a measure
  8. hand — help
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. band — a music group
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. band — a ring
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com